In the Family way...

Shortly before I took off to teach a month and a half ago... my dog had just finished up her first cycle of being in heat.

Not fun.

I felt like a particularly hard-nosed warden as I locked her down day and night, chaining her to poles and chasing away her male suitors.

But I figured it would be worth it in the end not to have to deal with puppies.

Unfortunately, toward the end of her cycle --basically the last day or so-- I got lazy. I decided to let her out of her prison (aka: my house) and let her soak up the sun (while chained to my back porch).

I hadn't seen any suitors in a few days and thought her scent must have changed.

I was wrong.

After taking my eyes away from her for about 10 minutes, everything got errily quiet. So, I went out back to check on her.

Her chain had gotten stuck in my outside pipes and she was cornered by three male dogs. One was stuck with her... if you get my drift.

After almost a month of watching and worrying to avoid this very thing... I managed to mess it all up in 10 inattentive minutes.

Ugg.

Not sure if she could get pregnant on the last day of her cycle, I speculated on the probability of puppies with my neighbor and friend, Sarah.

As we debated the likelihood of it all, my dogs nipples changed.

I worried over them, insisting that she must be expecting. Sarah --always the rainbow to my rain-- suggested that I was overthinking it.

I didn't get to speculate on it too long, as I took the offer to teach a week or so later and left my dog in Sarah's care.

Every now and again, I'd return for a quick trip to Maforga. Initially, I didn't see much change in my dog's physique, so I started second guessing my initial pessimism.

However circumstances with my car prohibited me from returning for the last three weeks. By the time I got back, my dog was unquestionably 'in the family way'.

She is huge!

She waddles. She drools. She steals food from kids.

And have I mentioned.... she's HUGE!

Since I know the day she conceived, I can make the fair guess that she will deliver any day. If websites are to be believed, she will give birth on Wednesday June 10th.

Do EDDs on dogs vary as well? What happens if she goes post-dates? Do I have to induce her?

I will confess that I'm every bit the midwife to my dog as I am to women.

I rub her belly until she groans with pleasure and drools. I feed her every time she looks at me with those pathetically drowsy eyes until she falls into a food coma. And well... I basically let her be as cranky as she wants to be at any time day or night.

Just today, I was able to palpate one of her puppies. It kicked me (tehehe).

And I'm even contemplating shaving her belly so I can listen to their PHT (puppy heart tones).

This is going to be my first time dealing with puppies. I could use all the advice you can offer.